


Puppet

by Somiko_Raven



Series: Cherik Week 2020 [2]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Dark Charles Xavier, M/M, Mind Control, X-Men: First Class (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/Somiko_Raven
Summary: All Charles wanted was to be loved, but he always goes too far. The one time he tries to reverse what he's done, karma comes for him.Cherik Week 2020 Prompt: Dark Charles
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Series: Cherik Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769422
Comments: 12
Kudos: 32
Collections: Cherik Week 2020





	Puppet

**Author's Note:**

> Due to time, this stayed as a first draft. A final read through for minor editing was done.

It began as a simple attraction, but it quickly grew to something so much more. Everything about the man awoke in him a desire that could not wait for nature to take its leisurely time until he would hear another rejection like he received from his previous loves. They were with him in the end, but he had to...  _ play _ to be able to have them, and with Erik he did not want to wait.

The other mutant was so strong, determined, intelligent. Charles just had to have him, to hear that voice say his name over and over, to feel those hands on his body.

The night Erik was about to leave, Charles stopped him. It started small, a seed of an idea planted in Erik’s mind.

_ Stay with me. _

Charles knew it would work. It always did. The next day while in a meeting with one of the agents, Erik arrived. It always worked.

Traveling the country together was wonderful, but he needed more, faster. Yes, Erik was staying by his side, but the rest was moving far too slowly for his taste.

“Do you like me, Erik?”

Erik looked up at him from one of the beds. He had been reading a book left behind on the dresser. “Of course I do.”

Charles sat across from him on the other bed. “Say it. Please.”

“Charles, what’s going on?”

“Say it.”

Erik closed the book and set it down. “I like you.”

“Good.” Charles looked down. His telepathy confirmed Erik’s words, but it was not enough. “Good.” He reached toward the other man, fingers caressing the side of his head.

“Charles?”

“I like you too,” he told him. Another little seed to join the other.

_ You like me romantically. You always will. _

Erik twitched and Charles pulled his hand back. “Are you alright, Erik?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his head with a slight grimace. “I don’t know what happened.”

“I am sure it was nothing.”

Starting the next day, their conversations took a turn. Charles loved the more romantic tone of their relationship, the simple flirting, gentle caresses, cuddling under the stars and moon.

A week later, after a successful recruitment, Erik pulled him aside and they shared their first kiss, a soft and careful thing that left him hungry for more.

He stared into Erik’s eyes and then tugged him into another, pushing deeper, taking what he wanted.

_ You belong to me. Only me. _

When he released Erik, he gazed up at him again. But something had changed… Maybe?

No. He was just tired, imagining things. Everything was fine.

A couple weeks passed and Raven came to him. The sun had already gone down and he was ready to retire to his room with Erik.

“Charles.”

He glanced at her before looking away. “Raven, why are you naked?”

“That doesn’t matter,” she stated. She stalked toward him. “What did you do to Erik?”

“I didn’t do anything to him.”

“He hasn’t been himself for a long time, Charles. And just a few minutes ago he said he belongs to you,  _ only _ you.”

“Well, we  _ are _ dating, Raven.”

“You’re doing it again, aren’t you?”

He turned to her with a glare. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Oh, sure you don’t. Like this isn’t those other guys all over again.”

“Shut up.”

“Anthony, William; do you even remember what happened to them?” she questioned.

“Of course I do!”

He ran shaky fingers through his hair. The shells of men that no longer had any thought of their own, locked away forever, far away from him. He had only wanted company, to feel loved by someone after going his whole life without. But he always went too far, in the end having only living puppets as his companions.

“You need to let Erik go,” Raven told him. “Please.”

“What, so that you can have him?” he snapped.

“He doesn’t love you.”

Charles clenched his fists.  _ Shut up, shut up, please just fucking shut up. _

Raven opened her mouth to speak again but nothing came out, not a single sound, and she stared at him in horror.

Charles released a held breath and left the room. His chest felt tight. He just needed to get to his room. His shared room with Erik.

He opened the door and paused. Erik turned to him.

Just imagining things. He was just imagining things. Erik was still there. He was still in control of himself, right?

“Hello, Erik.”

“Hello, Charles.”

Charles winced at the monotonous words. But it was okay. It was still him. It had to be.

Going to the bed, Charles beckoned Erik to sit with him. Side by side, he placed a hand upon Erik’s. “I need to know something.”

“Alright.”

Charles swallowed and turned to him. “Do you love me, Erik?”

“I like you romantically. I always will.”

“But do you love me?”

“I belong to you.” That same tone. “Only you.”

His heart hurt. He wanted -  _ needed _ to go further than he already had.

He placed his hands on either side of Erik’s head. “Say you love me. Tell me you mean it.”

Erik merely stared back at him.

_ Say you love me, Erik. Tell me you mean it. _

“I love you.”

Charles let go of him.

“I mean it.”

He shook his head, tears stinging his eyes as he stood. “No you don’t,” he whispered.

“I love you.”

“Shut up!”

Erik closed his mouth, waiting for whatever else Charles would want.

“Do you even  _ think _ anymore?” When no response, not even a reaction to his words, occurred, Charles turned away. A puppet. Another one. They no longer had that spark of life that once drew Charles to them, mindlessly ready to follow his every command.

He could not leave Erik like this. Not him.

“Erik, come here.”

Erik obeyed, standing with him.

Would it work? Was it possible after all this?

He pulled Erik into their final kiss, gentle and careful, and then left his lips. His fingers stayed at Erik’s temples. “You do not love me,” he said, repeating himself through the telepathic link. “You did not mean it.” He felt a struggle going inside the other’s mind, trying to undo the damage already done. “You do not belong to me. You… you do not like me romantically. Maybe don’t like me at all.” He looked into Erik’s eyes. “You do not need to stay with me.”

Slowly letting go, Charles waited. Did it work? Was he able to free him?

He could feel when it happened, a sudden snap like a thread breaking. Anything metal in the room began to vibrate, lifting into the air.

Charles stepped back. “E-Erik?”

The man’s arms rose. “Yes, Charles?”

The same monotonous tone was going to haunt him as long as he lived. “What have I done to you?”

Emotionless eyes met his. “I don’t like you at all.”

The bars from the bed frame wrapped tight around him, preventing movement. “Erik!”

“I don’t like you at all.”

Charles felt the cool metal wrap around his neck and begin to squeeze.  _ If this is what it takes to free you, so be it. _

Everything went dark.


End file.
